A last-minute show at a venue fighting for its life—that's the picture behind The Darkness's "Crock Of Hits." Early on September 5th, the band announced on Instagram that they'd be taking the stage at London's Moth Club on September 17th, with a caption that played into the venue's own urban legend: "The first rule of Moth Club is don't fly into the light bulbs. Just kidding, nocturnal lepidoptera, rejoice!"
The band went on: "We're playing Moth Club. That whole 'don't burn yourself to a crisp' rule is more of a suggestion than an actual law, so come celebrate a special night of The Darkness and listen to our work, you glorious audience, and rejoice!" As for what fans can expect, the band described the set as a self-curated "best of": "'Crock of Hits' will shock you, leave you trembling as it holds you up, and gently force you into submission with its auditory beauty. This is our own pick of the 'greatest hits,' so you can be sure it's the best of the best. Accept your fate, everyone…"
Pre-sale tickets go on sale Tuesday, September 8th at 10am, with general sale following on Thursday, September 10th.
The show comes at a critical moment for Moth Club. The independent venue's future has been threatened by two separate planning applications for apartment developments on neighboring Morning Road, both currently under review by Hackney Council. The venue has urged local residents to voice their opposition to the council, and as of December 2025, over 27,000 objection emails have been submitted. Music Venue Trust has said that losing Moth Club would pose an "existential threat" to grassroots music venues everywhere.
The Moth Club show is just one part of a busy year for The Darkness. The band previously served as a heavyweight opening act for Iron Maiden at Knebworth Park on July 11th, and they'll launch a major UK tour in December in support of their 2025 album "Dreams On Toast." Guitarist Dan Hawkins, speaking about the band's touring rhythm in an interview late last year, joked that even his closest friends have come to treat seeing The Darkness in winter as a Christmas ritual: "They're not our most devoted fans, but if the tour lands in spring or early autumn instead, they actually get disappointed."
He also spoke about how the band has rebuilt a dedicated fanbase piece by piece since reforming in 2011: "Our fans now aren't shouting for the hits—they want the album tracks, and not the ones we were playing 20 years ago either. We're a different band now."
Ticket pricing and seating details for the Moth Club show were not included in the announcement—fans should keep an eye on the band's official social channels for ticket links.
